Wind Speed Transducer - Wireless or Hardwired?

[blakeney]

A tack tic on my Alberg 35 refused to work.I complained bitterly & they replaced it with a hard wired one at no cost.

[Siberian Sea]

Some electronics can be classified as critical. When they malfunction it’s when they are in use, and they are in use because you need them. Now think...... what would be voted as more reliable based upon the comments you see here. Now I’m not saying wireless is not reliable but..... what one is more reliable. Based solely upon that I would go for hard wired and the important fact that your mast is pulled should makes it a no brainer. I’ve had both, wireless started to give me troubles after a few years, hard wired never an issue.

[jpstevens]

As other posters have pointed out, with the mast down, wired is easy; isn't there a substantial cost difference between wired/wireless?

[Rigdaddy]

Originally Posted by billknny

As far as I can tell, the only real benefit to a wireless transducer is the ease of installation. If the mast is already horizontal, that takes 95% of that reason away. If you have ANY doubts, go with the wired one and relax.

Other than bearings wearing out--which are common between wired and wireless--I have never had a failure of a wired wind transducer in 20 years.

My used boat came with a non-operatiing Cetrek hard-wired system. I replaced it with a Garmin hard-wired system that lasted two years. I am interested in trying the wireless system, partly because I don't want to have to pull the mast.

[AKA-None]

Mission critical? Wired. If you can afford disruption then wireless is fine.

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Several years ago I would have agreed that wired was the way to go also, but we've been running wireless sensors, autopilot and nav. computers for several years now, I'm converted.
It is the norm to run a lot of land based wireless systems that are equally important (w/no real issue), so why not on the boat?

Bill O.

Lightning. Radar, HF and VHF transmitters on board. Interference from nearby vessels in port. And in most cases, you still have to provide wired power, so what is gained?

You do eliminate a signal-carrying connector - I'll grant you that.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Mission critical? Wired. If you can afford disruption then wireless is fine.

That's a great "issue." I sailed my smaller boats for al ost 20 years without wind instruments. Just my nose, eyes, telltales and back of the neck.


Personally, and simply based on my own experience(s), I wouldn't call wind direction, or even speed, as mission critical.



That said, if I had anything that only worked intermittently, I'd find that harder to deal with than "yes, it works," or "shucks, it broke!" Intermittent is like Chinese water torture.
Ever had a blinking light bulb?


Your boat, your choice.


Great comments all, that pretty much sums up all the options and all the reasons. Thanks.

[Davo1404]

Hi. I have just installed a B&G wireless wind. My biggest problem was finding reviews from actual owners. B&G only released them last year. I actually had a problem with my Network wind display unit & off course the mast cable was analogue. So to pull the existing cable & pull through the new one in a already full conduit was fraught with disaster. If the mast was out, then I would have tried it. So what finally convinced me to go with the Bluetooth device was this discussion on Sailing Anarchy.

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/ind...ducer-from-bg/

[Belezar]

Rehashing this thread as it seemed to be the most current with the most info. My transducer is shot. It is currently wired. My question is weather the wireless work well on taller masts - 75 ft? Or since there is no benefit should I go back wired? Also, any recommendations about most accurate brands that would be great.

[sv_pelagia]

Tacktick wireless on our 60 ft mast has mostly been very good.

On boat since 2011. Have really like ability to bring display to different parts of boat (eg many very windy nights watched wind while down below). But now with wifi systems (we have a TwinYakker), this is no longer so important.

Occasionally, almost always when nearing our berth in Vancouver harbour, someone/something disrupts wind signal. Out on the water it has been fine.

Nevertheless, I would probably go wired if I were to replace system. Not like it's a big fat wire.

[seahaul]

Has anyone heard if anything new is coming out, or has more experience since this thread started? I am looking to replace mine. I actually have a Maretron ultrasonic brand new in the box but given its issues im not sure if I put it up or find something better. it wasn't cheap.

[Davo1404]

Originally Posted by seahaul

Has anyone heard if anything new is coming out, or has more experience since this thread started? I am looking to replace mine. I actually have a Maretron ultrasonic brand new in the box but given its issues im not sure if I put it up or find something better. it wasn't cheap.

Had my B&G wireless for over a year now. Not one issue. No signal drop outs. Really happy.

[Bellinghamster]

My boat came with a Raymarine micro-talk wireless wind transducer/receiver and i70s displays. It works most of the time, but you have to turn it on using a remote control and it seems to drop connection or turns itself off after a couple hours - if we lose the little remote control we're pooched, and you can't really put it away when sailing since you need to keep using it to turn it back on. Not super impressed with it, but it's fun to play with, and easier for the wife and kids to pay attention to when we're close-hauled.

There's something to be said about being able to glance at an instrument anytime day or night to see how hard it's blowing without having to look for a remote to turn it on.

I crossed the Pacific on our previous boat with a simple Windex pointer and a couple pieces of yarn tied to the shrouds... totally bulletproof/reliable and cheap, other than birds occasionally landing on the windex.

[ottow]

Older TackTick wind sensors are known to be somewhat unreliable, my system (+10 years old) will lose connection with the mast sensor whenever I am close to any powerful radio transmitter such as a commercial radar.


I discussed this issue with a Raymarine rep a few years ago and the only fix for my system he knew of is to put a repeater (T221) half-way up the mast.
He also mentioned that when Raymarine bought TackTick, one of the things they did was to redesign the antenna in the masthead unit. The old design featured an omnidirectional antenna, the Raymarine-branded ones supposedly has a directional antenna, pointing down.

[glanrock]

Tried to install wired wind transducer last Fall to replace aging Raymarine products. Had purchased a nice bundle with dual screens. Ended up changing course to the B&G wireless mast transducer after realizing the existing wires were all wire-tied inside the mast. Best I can tell, I haven't had a single issue with connectivity between Zeus and it.



I think the technology continues to improve. I was rather concerned that it was Bluetooth, thinking there are (or were) range limitations.